The Alpha's Forsaken Mate:Bound by Blood. Broken by Love. Hidden by Fate.

as nothing li

isses. No whispered pr

one circle, surrounded by wolves who stared at he

in, rough fabric that scratched against

ring, silent. The Alpha of the Nightfang Pac

jaw was clenched, his hands folded behind his

was

o what the moon herself has witnessed." The wind hushed, as if the forest leaned in to listen. Aria stood motionless, heart pounding in her chest

few wolves howled-a forced, ceremonial

ally n

el turned and walked

en a g

ife as a Luna who

eeks

t was worse: the sil

The halls were grand, built from cold black stone and ancient timber, lined with fu

rked when she entered a room. One even muttered

eren't

ak, painful, incomplete. Her wolf had never spoken. Never surged forw

ing about it. Noth

once-to thank him for letting her stay in the estate, for not throwing her bac

speaking to h

n his quarters, pacing. Sometimes he would

ot out of fear. But because for one aching second, she thou

e died quickly, as

the onl

e evening as they sat beneath the moonlight on the east to

ria murmured. "Maybe

n't say

at I'm fine? That I don't feel like I

the somewhere else. Come away with me. Just for a nig

otice when I b

tood near the window of the healer's quarters, her fingers clutching the edg

infection. Like I'll spread

wasn't looking at Lila when she said it-her eyes were fixed on a knot in the wooden floor

way their conversations stop. Their eyes-gods, their eyes burn t

to be useful. I do everything they ask-clean, serve, submit-and still, I feel them shrinking away.

room silently a

ke up every day and keep going," Aria whispered.

izing for breathing. Let them

s with a deliberate rhythm that matched the quiet tension in the ai

ice anything. Tha

t Aria didn't flinch. She only stared harder a

rmured, "like I'm some weight the Elder

rtar and crossed the room, her voice softening. "You are s

y. "Surviving doesn'

d. "But it's the

not weak. "I don't want to just sur

o Kael. Not to the pack. To you. And when the time comes-walk away. D

ere in her chest, somethin

val was the

done being

idn't

e it w

contin